Munson/Twilight Mtn Bike Trails

Forest Service Employees Ride Munson

2011-04-13T14:18:00.002-04:00

Forest Service employees Cathy Briggs, Sherry Gaston, Lauren Kelley, and Paul Wheelhouse are joined by John Collier for a ride to check out new surfacing on Munson. We spent the morning riding and stopping to discuss work needed to make trail better. We also talked about needs for fencing, signs, harzard tree removal, etc. Scott Shirley with TMBA met us at end of ride back at parking lot. Good chance for everyone to meet and discuss volunteer projects.

Ed Sutton says thanks to Tally

2011-04-01T19:53:00.002-04:00

Hey Jim, Thanks so much for presenting us those great team pictures. Everyone on the crew was super stoked. In fact, I've already got mine hanging up here in my office. I really think Munson Hills was a terrific team effort between the Forest Service and Trail Dynamics. This was a very unique trail project, and one that we can point to as an excellent use of AARA funding. I admire you for having the vision and determination it took to make Munson Hills a reality. At first, I wasn't convinced that much could be done in what seemed like featureless landscape, but we definitely enjoyed taking on the challenge. Judging for the many smiles, whoops, and compliments we received out there, I think we all did a pretty good job. Also thanks for bringing us out cold drinks on some of those hot and dusty Munson days. It was always a big kick for the crew to see you come rolling up on your bike and Bob trailer. Right after you'd ride off, the guys would always ask me if you were liking the trail, and happy with there work. They really put everything they had into this project, and it meant a lot to them that people were out there riding around having a good time. Finally, thanks for your flexibility in working with us on the evolution of this project. Because their wasn't really a precedent for what we did at Munson, quite a few things had to be determined on the fly. No matter what issues we had to work through, it was always a pleasure to work with You, Shannon, and Cathy. Keep us posted on how the trail holds up to all the riders and the thunderstorms coming up this summer. Hopefully, we made everything bold enough, and used enough surfacing material, that it will be riding good for many years to come. Enjoy the trail Jim, and tell any of our new friends we miss them, and we hope to return to Tally again some time in the future. Thanks again, Ed and the crew

Finishing up Contract

2011-04-01T17:40:00.000-04:00

Kathy O'Bryan, Forest Service Engineer out measuring the segments of trail that Trail Dynamics surfaced. Kathy is the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for the Munson Hills Trail project. It's her responsibility to walk every foot of surface and certify that Trail Dynamics completed their work before they can bill. This is Kathy's first trails contract. Most of her work with the Forest Service involves overseeing road work.

Adios Amigos

2011-03-29T11:58:00.003-04:00

Munson Monday's ride was all about saying good-bye to Ed Sutton and the Trail Dynamics crew. They had finished surfacing the Luge on Sunday and spent Monday taking their machines out of the woods. The surfacing they put down has improved the flow of Munson. Was great to get together and ride. Tod from Higher Ground was on the ride. What a great supporter of trails and Munson. Thanks Tod.

Riding with the Crew

2011-03-11T07:45:00.002-05:00

I had the chance to take an afternoon ride with Ed and the Trail Dynamics crew. What a blast. We saw a couple of dozen riders also enjoying the new surfacing. Was great to finally take a ride that puts it all together. I've spent so much time just riding short segments to take pictures that I've never really been able to enjoy the flow. Once again what a blast. Also, thanks to Higher Ground - the guys looked great in their new jerseys.

Connecting St Marks Rail Trail Trailhead and Munson Trail

2011-03-01T18:12:00.003-05:00

Last Friday the Forest Service closed on the 55-acre tract of land next to the St Marks Rail Trail Trailhead. This means that after years of riding across St Joe land to get to the Munson Mtn Bike Trail on a user created trail is over. We'll be able to surface the trail this week to make for a great start of your ride. Last summer I saw some riders turn around cause the sand was so deep they thought the entire trail was going to be the same.

Back to Work

2011-02-23T14:36:00.002-05:00

After a two week vacation Trail Dynamics is back on the job. They are finishing up surfacing the Western Connector today. Next they will work on the hill at Tall Pines Shortcut. They will also redo a few of the drainage structures that are holding water on the trail. What great weather for riding. See you on the trail.

Riders Comment on Trail Work

2011-02-17T18:36:00.006-05:00

I was at the Higher Ground bike shop today and mentioned that I rode the Munson Hills trails yesterday. Mike asked me to email you with my assessment of the recent work that has been completed on the trail because there has been some negative feedback so far.

The job was well done, but I doubt anyone is arguing that. I’m sure the issue some have is that the nature of the trail has changed from being largely sandy to being more hard-packed. My personal feeling is that the trail is now a more appropriate place for riders of many skill levels. And for more experienced riders like me, it is more fun to ride because you can ride it faster and flow along the trail instead of fighting against the sand.

I’ve been riding around Tallahassee for more than 15 years. I heard a few people say that they were upset last year when the Magnolia trail at Tom Brown Park was re-built by Trail Dynamics with local help. Nobody that I know misses the old Magnolia trail at this point—because the new trail is so much better. I think the same will be true for Munson Hills. The trail is vastly improved, and those that miss the old trail will forget that pretty soon and continue to enjoy riding out there.

Either way, I will continue to ride out there as much as I can. I love the Twilight Trail too. I hear a lot of people belly ache about it, but I think it is fantastic, especially if you can keep your speed up. So I also want to thank you, since I understand that you are the land manager for that area. From my perspective you are doing a wonderful job.

--Mark

I just wanted to let you know how much my wife, Jill, and myself appreciate and enjoy the trail improvements that have been done to the Munson Hills Trails in the ANF. The trails are a lot of fun to ride for the entire range of off road cycling enthusiasts. The addition of rollers and the mitigation of the sand puddles has made riding the Munson Hills loop a real hoot and will definitely be a draw for regional cyclists. The construction techniques should also result in a more durable and predictable tread for the trail. Thanks again for all the work that has been done.

Sincerely,
Tim Murphy

just want to let you know that the recent changes/additions to the trails at Munson are great! the new stuff is so much fun to ride. Great job with all the recent work done out there!

Thanks,
Mickey Phillips

I wanted to let you know that I am thrilled with the work you have been doing on the Munson Hills trail. Munson Hills is so much fun now. The trail flows perfectly and is tons of fun to ride. I certainly hope that more trails like this can be built out there in the near future. I have been riding Munson Hills for over 12 years and I have never had as much fun as I have been having since the work was done.

Sincerely,
Jose A Sanchez

I just want to let you know that the new mountain bike trails at Munson Hills are wonderful. Kudos to the folks who designed and built them.

Sincerely,
Neil Dimacali

Just wanted to drop you a note and give you some feedback on the trail work at Munson Hills. I work at a bike shop and we are in a unique position to garner opinions about the trail system from a wide variety of users. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the changes at Munson Trail. It seems that the beginner riders who never rode there because of the sandy conditions are now starting to use the trail and are enjoying the fact that it is so much less sandy and slow and so much more flowing and fun. And we are hearing the same story from the better riders who never rode there because of the boring, slow conditions and who are now loving the new style of the trail which is more flowing, easier to pedal on, more fun to ride and much safer to boot! And did I mention the number of out-of-towners who are coming in greater numbers to ride these newly improved trails. We are hearing more and more that Tallahassee has the best off road riding in the state and this project is a big part of that notoriety.
Thank you for providing this great gift to the cycling community in Tallahassee. Projects like this bolster our community in so many ways and add to the value of living in this great place.

Todd May

Thank you and Jim Schmid for all of your work on the Munson Hills off-road bicycle trails. I think the latest round of work on these trails has made a big different in the quality of the trails. They are great deal more ridable and more fun.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help support this trail and the good work the forest service is doing.

Sincerely,
Chris Judd

I want to compliment you on the makeover at Munson Hills. The new trails are to die for. I haven't had some much fun in a good while. I rode last night with a big group and i have never heard so many hoots and hollers of riders having fun. I think folks will want to come from near and far when the word gets out. Great job! Keep up the good work!

John Davis

Twilight Assessment Ride

2011-01-28T16:41:00.003-05:00

Spent the day with Chuck, Scott, and Bill riding Twilight. We stopped to discuss areas rerouted and those flagged last spring when Trail Dynamics was here. While the crew was sufacing Munson last spring Valerie was rerouting downhill sandy sections of Twilight. We checked out those sections and also rode sections that she didn't get to. There's a couple of areas that will need some surfacing but most just need some minor rerouting. Twilight being the newer of the two trails, it's not as worn out as Munson so not as many segments need work.

TMBA Ride to Check Out Surfacing

2011-01-23T16:19:00.002-05:00

Ken Foster and Ed Sutton led a group of 30 TMBA members today checking out last years surfacing and a stretch of trail that was surfaced just this week. We stopped along the way to discuss pros and cons of clay/sand mix vs limerock vs leaving trail alone. Beautiful day for a ride. We passed many other riders going the other way. Big changes each week for the next five weeks as Trail Dynamics surfaces more trail, so... get out and ride.

Surfacing Underway

2011-01-22T18:32:00.003-05:00

Trail Dyamics is adding surfacing material and shaping the riding surface. You need to come out and watch the process to get a good understanding of what it takes to transform pools of sand into a rideable surface. We're looking forward to your input on other stretches of trail needing surfacing.

Brain Trust in Action

2011-01-17T18:10:00.001-05:00

Monday ride with Ed Sutton (Trail Dynamics), Ken Foster (TMBA), and Chuck Goodheart (City of Tallahassee Parks) in the rain to watch trail drainage in action. We also reviewed surfacing work from last Spring. Trail Dynamics crew will start work tomorrow. We have many more miles of trail we'd like surfaced. They will be here about five weeks. So, be sure to come out and say hi. Also this Sunday (Jan 23) Ken will lead a ride for TMBA to get input from riders. Meet at St Marks Trailhead at 10am. See you there.

Flags, Flags, Everywhere Flags

2011-01-08T16:10:00.002-05:00

Friday Lauren Kelley (GIS Intern), Mat Wingard (GIS Trainee), and I (Jim Schmid) biked Munson and placed pink flags at the beginning and end of each trail segment that Trail Dynamics will reroute or surface starting next week. These flags are twice as tall as the old ones we used last Spring, so should be real easy for everyone to see. TMBA will host a ride to get input on further segments needing work. Please share opinions with me or Ken Foster. Most important - Get out and Ride. The weather is perfect for a spin in the forest.

Long Wait Almost Over

2010-12-11T14:33:00.005-05:00

Trail Dynamics plans to be back soon for Phase 2 of Munson project. Plan is to start work January 18, 2011. We've had seven months to see how the spring work has held up. First job is to fix the bottom of hill on Tall Pines shortcut. Ken Foster and I will be seeking input from local riders on additional segments of trail needing work. So, please let us know your ideas. Trail Dynamics will be here with their full crew and they plan to work five weeks. Hope to see you out on the trail and hear what you think.

Gas Line Grass

2010-09-18T16:02:00.002-04:00

Gas line workers are finished and gone. We'll soon be biking through a field of grass. The right of way will be kept in grass for quail habitat enhancement. I'm surprised by the number of riders I've met who think Munson is a park. The area is part of a National Forest and is open to hunting. So... be aware of hunting seasons and ride appropriately.

Limerock Road Base Test

2010-08-31T14:01:00.003-04:00

John Wheeler checks out the limerock road base that Ken Foster added to Munson. It's a section of Munson west of powerline that heads up a short hill. Most of the limerock in the past was laid down on flat sections, this is a chance to see how limerock holds up on a hill. Ken wants to see how it compares to clay/sand mix that has been used on other sections of Munson. Ride it and let us know which you perfer and we're always interested in any comments on the overall surfacing project.

New Water Fountain With Shower

2010-07-11T17:41:00.004-04:00

We've replaced the old drinking fountain with a tower that has drinking fountain as well as spigot to fill dog bowls or water bottles and a shower to soak your head. Check it out. And best of all we're hooked to city water. Some folks have been hesitant to take a drink thinking it was well water. Next up is a bike rack and bench.

Trail Dynamics Coming Back in October

2010-07-10T16:29:00.002-04:00

Didn't want you to think we were going to leave the trail the way it is. You've probably noticed the erosion at the base of the hill on Tall Pines Shortcut and the puddles of water next to the trail. Trail Dynamics will fix these problems when they come back. They will also surface more trail. They are taking a break from the Tallahassee heat and working up north.

New Engineering/Recreation Staff Officer visits Munson

2010-07-09T18:01:00.001-04:00

Harold Shenk, Apalachicola Deputy District Ranger (on left) walks with Andrew Dziobek, new Engineering/Recreation Staff Officer for the National Forests in Florida. Also on the walk were Hope Williams, National Forests in Florida Administrative Specialist, and Cathy Briggs, Apalachicola Recreation Staff. They visited Munson as part of a tour of trails and recreation sites on Apalachicola National Forest. Andrew came to Florida two months ago from the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. He's been touring the three forests that comprise the National Forests in Florida since starting his new job. They were very impressed with the work and the users they met on the trail.

A Bit of History Coming Down

2010-06-18T14:01:00.002-04:00

Ken Foster at work removing the old bulletin boards. They were installed back in 1993 along with fencing and a toilet. Back in those days you could park next to them. Today you have to park at St Marks Rail-Trail Trailhead, Lewis J Hall County Park (Twilight access) or along Woodville Hwy. We've installed three new bulletin boards closer to St Marks trail to help folks get oriented.

Apalach Recreation Staff Ride the Trail

2010-06-08T17:04:00.003-04:00

Sherry Gaston, Bennett Basden, and Cathy Briggs - recreation staff for the Forest joined me and Ken Foster, Colter Foster, Ian Waldron, Jake Rhyne, and Lauren Kelley for a ride to see the newly surfaced sections of Munson. We left St Marks Trailhead at 8:30 to catch a little cool morning air. We biked a five mile loop. Everyone was really suprised and pleased with the work.

Follow the Yellow Signs

2010-05-31T17:31:00.003-04:00

Valerie Naylor with Trail Dynamics constructed many reroutes while they were here. She also closed old trail. I've installed yellow signs to help riders navigate the new trail segments. We now have a short cut to top of Munson Hill from the St Marks Rail Trail Trailhead. Our biologist asked us to close the old Paper Cup that ran near some ponds. Also the old toilet and fencing has been removed. We've brought the trails out to the paved rail-trail. We'll be installing a new drinking fountain with a shower and a dog fountain. Time is right for some night riding.

Phase One Wrap Up

2010-05-27T17:23:00.004-04:00

Ed Sutton and the Trail Dynamics Crew have wrapped up Phase 1 of the Munson reroutes and surfacing project. They have packed up and left for Colorado and Virgina projects. They will be back in October. This will give us a chance to see how the surfacing holds up to the summer rain and heat. Please let me know what you think. And remember get out there and ride.

Trail Dynamics Hard at It

2010-05-12T19:13:00.003-04:00

The Trail Dynamics trail building crew is hard at work improving Munson. Take a ride and check it out. We installed three signs announcing the construction. They are located at the St Marks Rail Trail Trailhead, Munson entrance near drinking fountain, and one at Twilight Trailhead. The map on each shows where the improvements will be constructed. When the work is done we'll install new maps on each sign. Ken Foster with Tallahasse Mountain Bike Association is helping out with project. He can be reached at 544-5040.

Logging on Gas Line

2010-04-08T12:38:00.004-04:00

Last week gas line corridor was logged to get it ready for adding another gas line. Work impacted East and West Connectors and a small segment of Twilight Trail. All trails are open and ride worthy. A segment of Twilight will have to be reroute in the near future and the segments crossing the gas line will have to be hardened with all gas line work is finished.

Contractor to Start April 20

2010-04-05T15:18:00.005-04:00

We have selected a contractor. Trail Dynamics will start work on Munson maintenance on Tuesday April 26. Be sure to check them out at http://www.traildynamics.homestead.com/ and ride the new trails at Tom Brown to get a feel for what they can do with machines. Starting Friday I'll be placing lots of flags along Munson to identify work sites.

Pre-Bid Contractor Site Visit

2010-02-12T16:10:00.003-05:00

Early Friday morning fifteen contractors braved the cold and rain to come out and see the Munson Trail. Bids are due at he end of the month. The Lakes at San Marcos Apartment manager allowed us to meet in their community room. Was great to get out the rain. Thanks to the manager for allowing this at such short notice. Todd Waller, Apalachicola NF Engineer joined me to introduce the project to the contractors. We went over the map and answered questions. Then we caravaned over to FS 379 and the Powerline to walk in and see a couple of segments of the trail that need work. Along with Tallahassee area contractors we had contractors from South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia. Looking forward to some great bids coming in.

Reroutes Near Ponds With Chuck Hess

2010-02-03T14:37:00.008-05:00

Chuck Hess, Biologist with Apalachicola NF had a concern that Munson Trail was running close to some ponds on the western segment of the Trail. Since we're getting ready to go to contract this is the time to make changes. A group of us ( Cathy Briggs, Sherry Gaston, Jake Rhyne, Kevin Doar, Chuck Goodheart, Ryan Means, and Ken Foster) met with Chuck on Tuesday morning. Chuck explained the problem to the group and then we hit the trail to flag (white flags) the reroutes. After much discussion and field review we modified three segments and added one new segment. Totals about 1,200' of reroute and 800' of surfacing of old trail.

Solicitation for Munson Work

2010-01-20T15:42:00.002-05:00

Today the Munson Mountain Bike Trail Maintenance project was posted on Federal Business Opportunities www.fbo.gov. Solicatation # AG-4419-S-10-0350. Contractors will have a month to submit a proposal.

Trail Assessment Available

2009-12-30T10:52:00.006-05:00

TrailDynamics has just completed a 55 page assessment of the Munson Mountain Bike Trail System. Information from the assessment will be used to improve the trail system in 2010. The full document is available on the National Forests in Florida website at
www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida (alert box).

Another Meeting

2009-10-19T13:41:00.001-04:00

Today I met with Marcus Beard (District Ranger), Cathy Briggs (Rec Staff), Chuck Hess (Wildlife Biologist), and Susan Fitzgerald (Wildlife Biologist) to review comments on the proposed reroutes. Last week Chuck walked the reroutes around the ponds. He’d like the trail moved further from each pond. Andrea Repp (Archeologist) emailed her report and would also like the trail moved further from the ponds. There comments will be incorporated into the assessment. We should have the assessment on the blog soon. Thanks for hanging in there.

Back to GPSing

2009-10-07T17:44:00.001-04:00

Kevin Doar, FSU Intern and I have been spending time GPSing user created trails that cross the Munson Hills Trail. You’ll see the orange flags with UCT written on them. I’ve often wondered why there was never a push for additional miles of official trail. Appears that with all the miles of user created trail there’s been no need to discuss adding additional designated trail miles. That was the past, now Mountain Bikes fall under the same new Forest Service rules as motorcycles and ATVs. That is, OHVs and bicycles are supposed to stay on designated trails or roads signed open to their use. Everything else is considered riding cross country. This new Forest Service rule is affecting all Forests across the country. The Forest Service website has a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for each Forest. These are maps that show where motor vehicles can travel. They are free to download and print and have to be updated every January.

Draft Assessment Meeting

2009-10-05T17:33:00.002-04:00

We received a draft copy of Munson Hills / Twilight Mountain Bike Trail System Assessment from Valerie this morning. Just in time for a scheduled meeting with Apalachicola District Staff (Marcus, Garth, Cathy, Sherry, Jake, Miki, Chuck, and Andrea). Micah and I drove down for the meeting. We reviewed the assessment and discussed the project. Everyone is to have their comments and edits in by next Wednesday. Andrea will head out on Wednesday to survey proposed changes on the trails for archeological concerns. And Chuck will go out Monday to survey same for biological concerns.

Valerie Gets It Done

2009-09-16T17:46:00.003-04:00

Bill Otersen, Jeremy Floyd, Cliff Leonard, and Sherry Gaston joined Valerie and I Monday morning to assess sections of Twilight. Valerie and I worked late and finished up assessing Twilight. Kevin Doar, our new Florida State GIS intern did a fantastic job of producing maps quickly on Tuesday morning. In the afternoon Valerie and I drove down to Crawfordville to meet with Marcus Beard, Apalachicola NF District Ranger and some of his staff (Garth, Cathy, Sherry, Jake) to present proposed enhancements for both trails. Wednesday was back to adjusting maps for assessment report. In the afternoon we had time to visit two local quarries and two of our sand clay pits to get ideas on what kinds of materials are available locally. Valerie heads home tomorrow and will be sending us a draft assessment in a few weeks. Was a jam packed week.

Learning

2009-09-13T17:35:00.003-04:00

Saturday was a day of sharing and learning about what’s planned for the Munson/Twilight Trails. At 8:30 am Valerie Naylor led a group of 40 interested bikers on a ride of Munson. The group stopped at several areas to discuss planned improvements and get answers to their questions. The group reconvened at the Lakes at San Marcos community room for a presentation by Valerie on the planned enhancements. Refreshments were provided by Jo Haley the manager of Lakes at San Marcos. Thanks Jo. Tom Sauret, Executive Director of Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) and Regional Director of International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and Ken Foster, the interim president of the Tallahassee Mountain Bike Association shared with the group their efforts to organize mountain bikers in support of local trail projects. Folks stayed around to look at maps and discuss the project. At 7:00 pm, even with the rain more than 50 folks showed up for food, drinks, good conservation, and to party at Higher Ground. Great evening of socializing with fellow bikers. Thanks to Tod and the guys at Higher Ground for a fun time.

Valerie to the Rescue

2009-09-11T16:59:00.000-04:00

Valerie Naylor with Trail Dynamics http://www.traildynamics.homestead.com/ is here to help assess both Munson Hills and Twilight Trails. We got started on Wednesday and finished up Munson Hills by Friday. We have pin flagged sections of trail that will need work and also pin flagged some re-routes that will need to be reviewed by our Forest Service Resource Specialists.

Micah - Biking Biologist

2009-09-05T19:13:00.001-04:00

Micah Thorning, our new Supervisor’s Office Biologist, joined me on a ride of Munson Hills Trail Friday to survey the trail segments that run near ponds. Micah is a mountain biker and trail runner, in fact he runs the Munson/Twilight loop every Sunday with two other guys from our office. As part of our trail assessment next week with Valerie Naylor we’ll be looking at these segments again. We may have to flag in a few reroutes. But, we’ll have to wait and see. That’s what the assessment is all about.

Deputy Rides Again

2009-09-03T17:28:00.002-04:00

Garth Smelser, Deputy District Ranger for Apalachicola National Forest and Tod May, owner of Higher Ground joined me on a ride of segments of Munson and Twilight. Been awhile since Garth has been on a mtn bike. Tod was kind enough to provide a Rockhopper for Garth. This was Garth’s first chance to ride the trail and his first ride in Florida. He was surprised what a great riding area we have. He thought Florida would be flat and boring. He had a great time.

What’s with the pink flags?

2009-08-31T17:33:00.000-04:00

The pink flags identify sections of trail that may need some attention. On the Munson and Tall Pines we marked 38 sections for a total of 15,147 feet and on the Twilight we marked 22 sections for a total of 5,471 feet. Chuck Goodheart helped with Munson and Bill Otersen helped with Twilight. These are sections we were going to show mtn bikers on the September 12 ride. Today, Sherry Gaston (Apalachicola NF Rec Tech) and I biked Munson until the rain came. I noticed that someone has removed many of the flags. This is a Federal offense and has been turned over to our law enforcement for follow up. I’d appreciated your help in getting the word out that enhancements are coming to the Munson/Twilight Trails and we’re here to answer any questions.

Munson/Twilight selected as ARRA project

2009-08-30T15:52:00.000-04:00

In July the Forest Service announced that along with many trails across the country Munson/Twilight will receive funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) . An overview of ARRA and list of all projects is posted on the Forest Service website at http://www.fs.fed.us/. Below is the text from the announcement.

Mountain Bike Trail Maintenance for Safety and Protection
Estimated Funding: $ 250,000 for Capital Improvement and Maintenance
County: Leon
The Munson Hills Mountain Bike Trail is located on the Apalachicola National Forest. The 18-mile Munson Hills Trail, being close to the capitol of Florida, is very popular with local riders, runners, and walkers, as well as out-of-town visitors. It requires maintenance to ensure resource protection and visitor safety. The trail system has recently had an apartment complex built adjacent to it, so the popularity and use constantly increases. It has many maintenance needs resulting from sandy soils, elevation changes, and heavy use. The sugar sand soil washes into the dips or lower elevations along the trail making unpleasant and potentially unsafe riding conditions. There have been numerous user-created trails that go around rough spots, spreading the use into sensitive areas. This project will include blocking those user created trails and adding tread material in order to protect the natural resources in the area. The City of Tallahassee and area rider groups are partners.

Munson Hills and Twilight Mtn Bike Trails Enhancements Planned

2009-08-29T18:21:00.000-04:00

The Apalachicola National Forest is planning to enhance the Munson Hills and Twilight Mountain Bike Trails this coming year with the assistance of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. Valerie Naylor with Trail Dynamics is coming to town to perform an assessment and conditions survey before the work starts. Valerie was a Trails Coordinator with the Florida Office of Greenways and Trails and helped manage the Santos trail system before joining Trail Dynamics. She will evaluate the trail conditions and make specific recommendations to make the system sustainable, more user friendly, and fun for mountain bikers. Her survey will help the Forest Service to go to bid with a construction contract within the next year. Tom Sauret, Executive Director of Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) and Regional Director of International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) will also be joining us for the fun.

Please join us for a day of riding and learning about the exciting enhancements planned for both Munson and Twilight. We’ll wrap up with a party hosted by Todd May and the guys at Higher Ground.

Saturday September 12, 2009

Ride out at 8:30 am SHARP– Munson Hills Mtn Bike Ride. Meet at St Mark’s Rail-Trail Trailhead at Woodville Highway and Capital Circle. Ride with Valerie Naylor (Trail Dynamics), Tom Sauret (IMBA/SORBA) and Jim Schmid (US Forest Service).

11:00 am – Munson/Twilight enhancements presentation and Q&A. The Lakes at San Marcos Community Room, 4768 Woodville Hwy. Drinks and snacks provided by The Lakes at San Marcos.

7:00 pm – Social/fun party at Higher Ground, Mahan & Magnolia

For more information contact Jim Schmid, US Forest Service Trails Manager at jimschmid@fs.fed.us or 523-8528